It's on.

Berlin Worlds as a gesamtkunstwerk (ask DCA Victor Finkel what that means) takes thirteen days. We started today with the arrival day of the scholarship participants (photo) and we will end with the World Debate Forum to be held from the 4th to the 6th.

Alas not all 110 scholarship recipients will make it to Berlin. Some even travelled to another country in order to get their visa for Germany but were denied them in the last minute, which is tragic.

Tomorrow (26th) at ten we start the Scholarship Seminar at the TU. Somehow we incorporated a trip to a Christmas Market into the programme. The trainers are the good people from the Adjudication Core and a few Worlds independent adjudicators.

In the afternoon most volunteers will arrive as well and receive their last briefings before Dec 27th, the official WUDC arrival day.

Some non-Berlin volunteers and adjudicators who had arrived early met on Christmas Eve. This event turned into a rather entertaining work session (photo) with mulled wine and presents under the palm tree.

Christmas, featuring Victor, Doug et al.